Tool for removing and replacing engine mufflers



May 11, 1965 w. R. HART ETAL 3,182,388

TOOL FOR REMOVING AND REPLACING ENGINE MUFFLERS Filed Jan. 50, 1963 United States Patent 3,182,388 TOOL FOR REMOVING AND REPLACING I ENGINE MUFFLERS Walter R. Hart, 33 th Ave., Port Washington, N.Y., and Alexander Klein, Wantaugh, N.Y.; said Klein assignor to said Hart Filed Jan. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 255,064 3 Claims. (Cl. 29-267) This invention relates to a device for separating telescoped elements and is more particularly concerned with a tool which is adapted for use in separating mufflers from the tail pipe and the manifold pipe associated with internal combustion engines, especially in motor vehicles.

Anyone who has ever attempted to replace a worn muffler in an automobile is well aware of the difficulties which are inevitably encountered in disengaging the old mufiler from the exhaust train. As a result of the high temperature of the engine exhaust, the corrosive nature of the exhaust gases, the presence of water vapor in the exhaust, and the splashing of Water, slush, and the like on the external surfaces of the mufiier and the associated tail pipe and manifold pipe, the telescopic joints by means of which these parts are interconnected become very badly corroded and present a major problem when it is desired to separate them for repair or replacement of the muffler or one of the pipes. The difficulty is, furthermore, aggravated by the fact that in modern motor cars the muffler is generally inaccessible and working space is, at best, limited. As a consequence, attempts to separate the corroded joints with conventional tools often require excessive time and effort and often result in damage to parts of the exhaust train which are otherwise satisfactory and suitable for continued service.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a device in the nature of a tool which is adapted to avoid these problems by being effective to separate a mufiier from its associated exhaust pipes in a smooth, ellicient manner.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tool of thecharacter indicated which can be fully and effectively operated in the limited space usually available under a motor vehicle.

It is another object of the invention to provide a tool which is of universal utility and is adapted to be used with the exhaust systems of various makes and models of motor vehicles.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a device, which will be referred to hereinafter as a mufiler tool, which comprises a main support shaft or rod which is adapted to be disposed in parallel relationship in relation to the muffler and the associated pipes when the tool is used, and is provided with teeth or grooves, a first clamp carried by the rod and provided with a hook to engage the pipe stub or connection at one end of the muffler, a second clamp also carried by the rod and provided with a hook to engage the pipe stub at the other end of the mufiler, both of these clamps being adjustably securable on the rod, and a pair of jack elements engageable with the teeth or grooves on the main support rod, one of the jack elements being provided with a clamp for clamping engagement with the tail pipe, and the other of the jack elements being provided with a clamp for clamping engagement with the manifold pipe.

It is a feature of the mutller tool of the invention that ice it is adapted to withdraw the tail pipe and manifold pipe from engagement with the mutiler, to hold them in their drawn-apart positions while the old muflier is removed and the new muffler is placed in position, and to return the two pipes to their engaged positions in relation to the new mufller.

It is a further feature of the invention that the mufller tool will withdraw both the tail pipe and the manifold pipe, or either one, from the mufiler, regardless of which separates the more easily, without undue strain on the mufiler ends. Thus, when the separation is being effected to permit replacement of the tail pipe or the manifold pipe, or both, but without replacement of the mufiler, the desired separation of the parts can be effected without damage to any of the parts involved.

It is another feature of the invention that the rnufiler tool is effective to exert axial traction forces upon the telescoped parts While firmly gripping or bearing upon the several parts so that smooth separation without distortion can be achieved.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a muflier tool embodying features of the present invention, showing the tool mounted in position upon an exhaust assembly;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the jack construction shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a similar view of another form of jack which can be employed in the tool of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown at 10 a mufiier of conventional design having an inlet pipe stub 12 and an outlet stub 14, adapted to be telescopically connected to the manifold pipe 16 and the tail pipe 18, respectively. All of the foregoing elements are of conventional design and construction and form part of the invention. The mufiier tool of the invention is designated generally by 20 and is illustrated in mounted position with respect to the muther and the associated pipes being separated, the parts being shown with the manifold pipe and the tail pipe separated from the mufiler.

Mufller tool 29 includes a main longitudinal support means comprising a shaft or rod which, in the embodiment illustrated, is formed by two sections 22 and 23 which are interconnected by a hinge construction defined by hinge arms 25 and 26 which are pivoted at 28, gussets 30 and 31 being suitably provided to strengthen the hinge. The hinge permits the relative relationship between the two rod sections to be varied to accommodate differences in the positions of the inlet and outlet of the mufiler. Slidably mounted on rod section 23 is a clamp 35 provided with a clamping jaw 36 having a tightening bolt 37 for securing it to the rod and with a hook arm '38 adapted to engage the outlet stub 14 and to bear against the associated end of the muffler 10. It will be seen that the arm 38 has a boss 4! along its hooked portion to bear against the end plate of the mufller and to permit the main portion of the arm 38 to clear the peripheral flange at the end of the muilier. In like manner, the rod section 22 has slidably mounted on it a clamp 44 provided with a clamping jaw 45 and a hook arm 47 formed with a boss like the boss 40 on arm 33 adapted to bear against the opposite end wall of the mutller while the hooked portion of the arm 47 passes over'the inlet stubdZ of the muffler. arms 38 and 47. serve'to support the tool whenit is first hung upon the mutfier assembly and while adjustments are being made and the other parts of the tool are being connected to the assembly, as will be discussed below. When the tool is actuated, the hook arms, and more particularly their associated bosses, bear against the ends of the mufiler to hold it against movement between the hook.

arms.

Also mounted upon the rod sections 22 and 23 are the jacks 50 and 52, respectively, the rod sections being formed with teeth or grooves 54 and 45, respectively. The

portions of the jacks which:cooperate with the teeth or notches of the rod sections to move the jacks axially over the sections are suitably. of conventional construction and any of the various constructions used in conventional automobile bumper or axle jacks can be emloyed. In the embodiment illustratedinFIGS. 1 and.2,j

the jack52,;for example, has a body portion-58 which slidably encloses the rod section 23 and has anactuating arm 66 pivoted in' it at 61 and supporting a spring-biased driving finger 63 which engages with the teeth or grooves 55 Spring-biased; holding .pawls 65 are provided to The hook preventany undesired spring back of the parts being sep:

aratedor other movement contrary to the intended di-. rection of movement. the pawls are pressure springs of conventional type which hold the finger and the pawls either in or out of engagement.

Cooperating with the body portion 58 of the jack52 is a friction clamp having a rigid jaw 75 joined to the jack body portion and a movable jaw'76 which can be drawn against therigid jaw by means of a bolt 78 and a cooperating nut 79. As shown in FIG. 2, the jaws 75 and 76 firmly grip thetail pipe 18.

The jack Stlhas a construction corresponding to that The springs on the finger and on of jack 52 except that it is, of course, adapted to 'exertpull tions ofthe jack are suitably of conventional construction.

Thus, instead of the lever-actuated jack structure illusa trated inFIGS. 1 :and 2, the jacks 5t! and 52 can be of the type involving nuts on a threaded rod. Thus, as seen in FIG. 3, the rod section 23 is formed with teeth or grooves in thefor-rn of a screw thread 80, and nuts 82 cooperate with this thread to move thejack body along the rod.

When the muffler tool 20 isto be used to separate a mother from its associated manifold pipe and 'tail pipe, the tool is brought into position below the exhaust train and the hook arms 38 and 47 are hooked over the inlet stub 12 and the outlet stub 14, respectively, of the mufiler 10, and the hook arms are adjusted where necessary to bring their associated bosses into contact with the ends of the mumer, the hook arms then being firmly positioned by tightening the respective clamping jaws. It will be understood, of course, thatthe' hinge connection between the two red sections 22 and 23 permits the hook arms to take into account the difference between the axis of y the inlet stub 12and the axis of the outlet stub 14. However, this hinge connection, while preferred, vcouldbe omitted and the rod sections 22and 2 3 integrally connect- 1 muffler are suitably rotated at a radial angle to each other to accommodate the axial offset of the inlet and outlet stubs of the opposite ends of the muffler;

After the tool has thus been positioned beneath the mufiler, and is will be seen that the construction of the rod and the pivoted relationship of the'jack elements and the hook arms to the rod permit the tool to accommodate itself to all types and sizes of automotive 'mufilers, the jaws of the jacks are then firmly clamped to the. tail pipe and to the manifold pipe. The jacks are then actuated to exert traction forces between the manifold'pipe and the inlet stub of the mufiier and between the tailpipe and the oulet stub of the muffler. When both jacks have thus been actuated, the 'relationship'of parts shown in FIG. 1 is obtained. Even though the several parts of the exhaust train have thus been'separated, they hold the tool so that'it does not drop. The mufiler isthen re-' leased by loosening the, set-screws and .moving the claniping arm outwardly with respectto' the muffier. Then the new muflier, is positioned between the hookfarm's and these arms are moved into position againstthe new mufiier and clamped to the main rod. It will thus be seen that the hook arms not only function to support thetool when it is initially moved into place but that they thereafter serve to hold and support the mufiler when itis no. longer supported by the manifold and tail pipes. Thereupon, the new mufiier is telescopically engaged with the tail pipe and the manifold pipe by. moving thev jacks in directions opposite to those in which'the jacks were initially actuated to separatethe old imufiier from the, associated pipes.

While several modifications'of the tool of thisinvention have been referred to above, it will be understood that various changes and; modifications in addition to. those indicated may be madeinthe embodiments herein described without departing from the scope of the invention Furthermore, itwill as defined in the appended claims. he understood that the several features of the diiferent embodiments are mutually interchangeable'and'that the invention is in no way limited to the embodiments shown by way of example in'the drawing.

It is intended, therefore, that all matter contained in theforegoing description and in the drawing 'shall be interpreted as illustrative only .andjnot as limitative of the invention. i

We claim:

1. A mufiler tool for separating Ia mufiler :fr'ornthemanifold pipe'and'the tail pipe telescopically engaged with the inlet pipe stub and the outlet pipe stub respectively, of the mulfier in an engine exhaust strain, said tool comprising, in combination, main longitudinal support means adapted to be disposed in parallel relationship with respect to the muffler when said tool is used, said support means; being provided'with grooved portions, a first arm carried by said support means and-provided with a hook to engagethe' pipe stub at one end of said muffler, a second arm carried by-support means-and provided with a hook to engage the pipe stub at; the. other: end of the mufiler, both of said arms being adjustable longitudinally alongsaidsupport means and beingadjustable angularly relatively to one another, and apair of'reversprovided with aclarnp for clamping engagement with the tail pipe, and the other said jack element being pro vided with a clampjfor clamping engagement with the manifold pipe, said jackelement forcibly moving the respective clamps respectively in opposite directions relative to said support'means and said hooks. V 7

2. A mutiler tool for separatiugam-ulfier from the manifold pipe and the tail pipe telescopically engaged withthe inlet pipe stub and. the outlet pipe stub respectively of the mufiler in an engineexhaust train, said tool comprising in combination, .rnain longitudinal support means adapted to be disposed in'parallel relationship with respect to the mufiler when said tool is used, said support means comprising tWo rod sections laterally 0&- set relative to one another and each having a grooved portion, a first arm carried by one rod section and provided with a hook to engage the pipe stub at one end of said Inufiier, a second arm carried by the other of said rod sections and provided with a hook to engage the pipe stub at the other end of the mufiler, both of said arms being adjustable longitudinally along said rod sections and being adjustable angularly relatively to one another, and a pair of jack elements engageable with said grooved portions of said rod sections, one of said jack elements being provided with a clamp for clamping engagement with the tail pipe, and the other said jack ele- References Cited by the Examiner UNETED STATES PATENTS 12/15 Tiedtke 254-71 8/26 Smith 29267 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MUFFLER TOOL FOR SEPARATING A MUFFLER FROM THE MANIFOLD PIPE AND THE TAIL PIPE TELESCOPICALLY ENGAGED WITH THE INLET PIPE STUB AND THE OUTLET PIPE STUB RESPECTIVELY, OF THE MUFFLER IN AN ENGINE EXHAUST TRAIN, SAID TOOL COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, MAIN LONGITUDINAL SUPPORT MEANS ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED IN PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO THE MUFFLER WHEN SAID TOOL IS USED, SAID SUPPORT MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH GROOVED PORTIONS, A FIRST ARM CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND PROVIDED WITH A HOOK TO ENGAGE THE PIPE STUB AT ONE END OF SAID MUFFLER, A SECOND ARM CARRIED BY SUPPORT MEANS AND PROVIDED WITH A HOOK TO ENGAGE THE PIPE STUB AT THE OTHER END OF 